ANAHEIM, Calif. (Jan. 29, 2009) – U.S. setter Lloy Ball (Fort Wayne, Ind.), who plays in the Russian Super League for Zenit Kazan, was named the Best Server of the League Round of the 2008/09 CEV Indesit Champions League.

In six League Round matches, Ball had 81 serve attempts with just three errors and 11 aces.

Kazan, which also features U.S. opposite Clay Stanley (Honolulu) finished second in its pool in the League Round and has advanced to the round of 16 where it will face Slovenia’s ACH Volley – featuring U.S. middle blockers Phil Eatherton (Glencoe, Mo.) and Delano Thomas (Sacramento) on Feb. 12.

On Jan. 24, Kazan lost 0-3 (21-25, 17-25, 23-25) to Dynamo Moscow. Stanley scored six points on five kills and one ace. Ball had two points on two kills. On Jan. 28, Kazan came back and defeated league-leading Iskra Odintsovo, 3-2 (24-26, 25-21, 25-15, 24-26, 15-10). Stanley was the star of the match with 27 points on 18 kills, three blocks and six aces.

Fakel Novy Urengoi, featuring U.S. setter Kevin Hansen (Newport Beach, Calif.) and outside hitter Sean Rooney (Wheaton, Ill.), is in third place in the Super League and split its two matches this week.

On Jan. 24, Fakel defeated Gazprom-Ugra Surgut, 3-2 (25-23, 23-25, 25-13, 23-25, 15-12) as Rooney scored 18 points on 16 kills, one block and one ace. Hansen added four points on three kills and one block.

Ural Ufa, featuring U.S. opposite Gabe Gardner (San Clemente, Calif.) has swept its last two matches, defeating Yaroslavich Yaroslavl, 3-0 on Jan. 24 and Ugra-Samotlor Nizhnevartovsk, 3-0 (25-17, 25-22, 25-17) on Jan. 28. Gardner led his team against Yaroslavl with 15 points on 13 kills and two blocks. He scored 12 points on 10 kills, one block and one ace against Nizhnevartovsk.

Ufa is in fifth place in the Super League.

U.S. libero Rich Lambourne (Tustin, Calif.) and his Russian team Lokomotiv Belogorie won both of their matches this week, defeating Ugra-Samotlor Nizhnevartovsk, 3-0 (25-16, 25-20, 25-18) on Jan. 24 and Nova Novokuibishevsk, 3-0 (25-19, 25-17, 25-18) on Jan. 28. Belogorie is in sixth place in the league.

U.S. outside hitter Reid Priddy (Richmond, Va.) and his Russian team Lokomotiv Novosibirsk split their two matches this week, defeating Nova Novokuibishevsk, 3-0 (25-16, 25-20, 25-18) on Jan. 24 and falling to Dinamo Moscow 1-3 (18-25, 25-22, 19-25, 22-25) on Jan. 28. Priddy scored 10 points on nine kills and one ace against Nova and 11 points on nine kills and two blocks against Moscow.

All the U.S. players in Russia are scheduled to take part in the league all-star game on Jan. 30 in Surgut. Regular Russian Super League matches will resume on Feb. 4.

Greece

Playing in his first official match for his new Greek team PAOK, U.S. opposite Evan Patak (Pleasanton, Calif.) scored 20.5 points on 14 kills, 3.5 blocks and three aces as PAOK defeated Ethnikos Alexandroupolis, 3-2 (21-25, 22-25, 25-21, 25-18, 15-8) on Jan. 24.

U.S. player Paul Lotman (Lakewood, Calif.) added 20 points on 19 kills and one block and Theo Brunner (Ridgefield, Conn.) had 15.33 points on 13 kills and 2.33 blocks. PAOK is in eighth place in the league with a 6-8 record.

U.S. middle blocker Tom Hoff (Park Ridge, Ill.) scored nine points on six kills, two blocks and one ace as his Greek team Olympiacos defeated MGS Apollon Kalamarias, which includes U.S. outside hitter Nils Nielsen (Fallbrook, Calif.), 3-1 (28-26, 25-21, 23-25, 25-22) on Jan. 24. Nielsen was credited with 11.33 points on seven kills, 3.33 blocks and one ace.

Matt Denmark (Edmund, Okla.) and his team AO Finikas Sirou was swept by AO Kifisias, 0-3 (22-25, 16-25, 18-25) on Jan. 24. Denmark was credited with 5.5 points on four kills and 1.5 blocks.

Touzinsky scored 22 points on 21 kills and one ace. Millar had 14 points on eight kills, four blocks and two aces. U.S. opposite Brook Billings (Santa Barbara, Calif.) was on the roster for Fenerbahce but did not play.

Italy

U.S. middle blocker David Lee (Alpine, Calif.) and his Italian Serie A league team Trenkwalder Modena fell to a record of 7-12 when it lost to league-leading Bre Banca Lannutti Cuneo (15-4), 2-3 (25-18, 25-15, 21-25, 23-25, 12-15) on Jan. 25.

Lee started four out of the five sets and scored two points on two blocks. Modena is in ninth place in the league.

U.S. outside hitter Jayson Jablonsky (Yorba Linda, Calif.) and his Italian Serie A2 team Wayel Bologna have a record of 8-11 after falling to Olio Pignatelli Isernia, 2-3 (25-19, 25-21, 22-25, 19-25, 12-15) on Jan. 26. Jablonsky led his team with 21 points on 19 kills, one block and one ace. Bologna is in 10th place in the A2 league.

France

U.S. setter Jonathan Winder (Irvine, Calif.) and his French team Tourcoing defeated Ales, 3-2 (24-26, 25-22, 25-20, 19-25, 15-11) on Jan. 24. Winder played in all five sets and started the fifth set, but did not score any points. Tourcoing is in fourth place in the French Pro A League.